The Wombats' 'positive' comeback album

The Wombats new album will see them trade tunes inspired by dreary rainy days in the north of England for the sunshine and palm trees of Los Angeles, on the rock band's most upbeat outing yet

The Wombats' frontman Matthew Murphy was less "anxious" making the band's comeback album.

The 'Moving To New York' hitmakers are set to release their first album in three years on February 9, 'Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life', and the 33-year-old frontman has opened up about how living in Los Angeles has made him worry less about what other people think.

Asked how things have changed since they first started making records in 2008, Murphy explained: "Perhaps I'm less anxious and a bit more relaxed over here.

"I don't beat myself up quite as much as I used to and in that respect, it becomes a quicker process because I don't get so anxious about it."

However, he insists he hasn't adapted to the Californian way of life, and that it is simply the fact he's getting older that has made him not care so much.

He told the Daily Express newspaper: "I wouldn't necessarily put it down to living in California and buying crystals, I'd put it down to just getting older I think.

"LA is such a great city because you have the city, you have the countryside, you have the sea and they're all in close proximity to each other and that makes it unique."

However, that doesn't mean that La La Land hasn't inspired some of the tracks on their follow-up to 2015's 'Glitterbug'.

'Lemon to a Knife Fight' came to light after the Liverpudlian had a row with his wife on the US city's famous Mulholland Drive.

He laughed: "'Lemon to a Knife Fight' was kind of inspired by having a massive argument on Mulholland Drive with my wife!

"I think my wife quite enjoys it. She likes to pretend that she argues with me to give me inspiration."

Explaining further Los Angeles' impact on the more "positive" songs, he concluded: "A lot of people have said it now so it's obviously coming through without me knowing. So maybe it does have some elements of sunshine and California in it, I don't know.

"Things are edging towards a more positive... it does feel more positive on this album. I can only write about what I know how to write about, and that is my personal life I guess."